The article also says Sirleaf maintained that while she doesn't oppose the current laws, she will veto legislation making same sex activity into a felony offense.

The article elaborates that "If she tried to decriminalise the [current anti-gay] law it would be political suicide," said Tiawan S Gongloe, the country's former solicitor general. Without a majority government, Sirleaf desperately needs the support of other MPs to tackle other issues such as corruption, exploitation of the country's natural resources and mass youth unemployment, he said....While President Sirleaf said she would not sign any bill that changes the current sodomy law, she also won't sign the recently introduced, much tougher, bills. "If she vetoes the proposed laws, she will have done the right thing," said Corinne Dufka from Human Rights Watch, who has written to Sirleaf on the issue. 'If she moves to scrap the existing 'voluntary sodomy' law which criminalises consensual same-sex acts, she will have left a truly positive legacy on behalf of gay, lesbian bisexual and transgender Liberians".

Considering that her opponents are the likes of former Dictator Charles Taylors' ex-wife, I think it'd probably still be preferable to have Sirleaf as president as opposed to someone else.

I believe she is choosing her battles. Not that I'm defending on the existing law criminalizing homosexuality at the moment in Liberia. We all want a world with equal right and no discrimination but as it is mentioned in the article Liberia is not ready for a debate on gay rights. Quoting the article "Liberians need public education on the issue. Our society is not at that point yet to have a civil conversation on the issue"

We have to understand that this is a third world country. Even after ending the dictatorship in 2003, Liberia is still one of the poorest countries in the world. Forgive me for saying this, but the country has other issues.

The president is trying to fight against corruption, exploitation of the country's natural resources and mass youth unemployment, and without the support of the parliament she won't get anywhere. I believe once the whole country is in a better economic position, with higher living standards and educated society, they will be ready to tackle equality.

It is also mentioned the president won't signed those two other extremist tougher bills presented by the wife of the former president. I hope she keeps her word.

I live in a developing country. In Ecuador, the law criminalizing homosexuality was abolished in the late 90's. It was the LGBT community in those days that fought for this right and I'm thankful for their courage. Wasn't it the raids in June of 1969 when the LGBT community in New York started the pride movement? They stood up for their own rights.

If the LGBT community in Liberia doesn't fight for their own rights they won't get anywhere. Every country has its own revolution boiling point and we have to support them once they are ready.

Other Nobel prizes are not awarded until there has been ample time to evaluate the accomplishments of the person for whom the prize is being considered, but even those other prizes are not always justified. For example, the person who popularized lobotomies was awarded a Nobel prize for it

The Nobel peace prize is often awarded much too quickly and without adequate consideration.

I wonder if it would be possible to come up with an effective plan to educate people in Africa on GLBT issues. Their knowledge is currently totally based on ignorance and hatred. I realize that it will take Africans to make such a change but maybe we can help them come up with a plan that will work, and possibly help to finance such changes.

I wonder if it would be possible to come up with an effective plan to educate people in Africa on GLBT issues. Their knowledge is currently totally based on ignorance and hatred. I realize that it will take Africans to make such a change but maybe we can help them come up with a plan that will work, and possibly help to finance such changes.

Their "knowledge" is based on what they have been told by fundamentalist "Christians" from the U.S. They've even been told that gays eat feces. They've also been told that homosexuality is of western origin and did not originally exist in Africa. I'm sure that many of the better educated African clergy know better, but they can enhance their power and influence by finding a minority to excoriate, just as Hitler excoriated the Jews to enhance his power.

Unfortunately, among some "Christians," the commandment prohibiting bearing false witness is not considered especially important. They tend to be very Machiavellian and will say anything to enhance their power and influence.